The European Union on Saturday called for maximum containment in the face of the worst escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip since last year’s war.
“The European Union is following the latest developments in and around Gaza with great concern,” a spokesman for EU diplomat Josep Borrell said in a statement.
“The EU calls for maximum restraint from all parties to avoid a new escalation and more victims,” he said.
“Although Israel has the right to protect its civilian population, everything must be done to avoid a more general conflict, which would affect the civilian population on both sides above all and cause more victims and more suffering,” he added.
Israel has been shelling the territory since Friday and alleges its attacks are targeting Islamic Jihad weapons manufacturing sites. This group, for its part, responded with rocket attacks.
Israel said it was forced to launch a “preemptive” operation against Islamic Jihad, insisting the group was planning an imminent attack, after days of tensions along the Gaza border.
An 11-day conflict in May 2021 between Israel and the Palestinians devastated the highly densely populated Gaza Strip. These clashes forced countless Israelis to flee to bomb shelters.
